To wonder what idiot invented scented sanitary pads and tampons?

[CallaLilli]

Because it seems to be getting harder to buy the non-scented kind these days! But honestly, who thought it was a good idea to put something heavily perfumed so fanjo-adjacent? AIBU to think it was probably a man?

And yes, I know I should probably use a mooncup and reusable pads but I'm not quite there yet!

You all need to get down to your nearest health food shop and pick up some organic cotton/paper towels. I'm not bothered about the organic bit, but they're unscented and not plasticky and soooo comfy. I've been using them for years as the plastic coated towels give me thrush. Look out for brands like natracare.

Way to totally miss the point, irishdad...

Don't you all realise what's happened?

I'm curious, is there a law stating that women can't get off their arses and start manufacturing their own sanitary products? Or is it easier to just blame "the menz"?

Could we have a mumsnet campaign about this?

Oh Irishman
Don't be tiresome

Go and find someone else to bother

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, Irishdad.

I'm most curious to hear your experience of the frustration felt last time you were stood in Superdrug unable to find non-smelly sanitary towels?

FWIW, I've just washed meself with a bottle of Lynx which on the back states I ought to be using the 'Manwasher Shower Tool' to achieve '...the right level of clean for all your parts'

Sniggers and rolls eyes.

Women do make their own towels, irishdad.

You only have to Google "washable sanpro". and dozens and dozens of pages come up with women selling the towels they have made.

I make my own too, it's very easy.

if you had just done a quick Google yourself you wouldn't be looking like a right fucking tool now, would you?

Oh that's fine then Irish, we'll overthrow the patriarchy, seize the means of production and that'll sort it out. If only we'd thought of that earlier

(Speaking as a non-lentil weaver who can't be doing with washables and can't use a mooncup)

They mingle with the smell of the blood and it's just disgusting.

Always Ultra in the purple pack arent scented. I just did a sniff test.

This is really timely. My last few periods (only had 4 since having DS) I have found that when using scented pads I get really itchy, and also when DH buys aloe or Shea butter infused/ coated loo roll. I have started stocking up on washable pads, but what do people do if you don't like mooncups (I have an iud and don't entirely trust the moon cup with it). Are sponges any good? Washable cloth tampons?

Nope I'm wrong, they contain a light scent. Stupid blocked up nose.

You can get organic cotton tampons too. I've explored all options as moon cups and washable pads wouldn't cope with my deluge . Some larger waitrose's stock them.

So which tampons are scented?

I don't have periods due to having a coil but DD is 10 and at some time in the next few years will start her periods. Am hoping the trend for scented sanitary towels goes away soon. Do they say they are scented on the packet or do you have to guess?

Miranda they stink so just sniff the packet! They don't say scented say fresh or order control. Which is annoying if you are shopping online because they don't always give all info.

Ok, I totally agree with the the fact that sanitary wear should absolutely not be scented. It's awful and causes thrush etc (I experienced this myself after giving birth recently. I hadn't used pads since I was a teen - another mooncup user here - and was shocked by how impossible it was to get anything bloody unscented).

However, on the subject of acti-pearls / anti-odour crystals. These are not new and they aren't what causes the smell! These were used in Always products back in the early 90's! (I know because my mother told me that the way to dispose of sanitary wear was to rip the pads in two and flush them and if the pad got too full this would result in a shower of bloody chrystals all over the bathroom.

Interestingly, a few years ago I did customer service for a company that made sanitary wear (I'm not saying which company it is because I don't want to out myself - it wasn't Always). This company had always used the chrystals in their product but hadn't advertised the fact. When 'Always' started advertising their acti-pearls, the company I worked for realised that the chrystals in the product could be used as a selling point, so they added 'Now with Odour Neutralising Chrystals' to their packaging.

This was a huge disaster. Now, bear in mind, the chemical make-up of the pads was in no way changed - just the wording on the packaging. For months afterwards we were inundated with calls from people who claimed that these chrystals were making them itchy / raw / sensitive. They all swore blind that 'the old ones' never caused them any problems but since the chrystals (which had always been there) had been 'added' they could no longer use the product.

Just saying.

Huh, apparently I've been spelling the word 'Crystal' wrong my whole life!

I will join a campaign! Let a vagina smell of vagina! Down with scented sanitary pads!

For the record, sanitary pads should not even be touching a vagina. Tampons on the other hand...

Maybe the survey was correct because some people do actually like them?
When ever threads like this come up the people who say they like them are usually laughed at or belittled ( not on this thread though)or made to feel like they don't know their own mind.
I like scented pads, i've never smelt them on other people, or had the problem of getting non scented ones. In fact i can only get scented panty liners, everything else is non scented.
I think i have only used a scented tampon once as it was a free sample and i have never seen them ever again. I don't see the point of them. I have never had a reaction and i have been using them for ages.
I also love that shower gel!
I don't see whats wrong with someone using fem fresh, i use a separate thing for my face, body and feet so why not there?
I have some for certain times.

I don't think we can realistically hope to stop them making and selling them, however we could petition for the clear labelling of the packets. Like the "V" tick for vegan food, maybe scent free products could have an easily recognisable logo.

The "V" tick for vegetarian food even.

LaChatte yes, completely agree with you!
Better labelling so people who want them can actually find them, and people who don't, don't end up buying them by mistake.